Catoctin Bike Tours

by bestfor / richard

Ladakh Tour

Ladakh tours starts from May every year till November. Apart from these months conditions are really very tough for the travellers. Ladakh  which is commonly known as ” The Land of  Mystic Lamas “  is a place like no other situated in Indian Himalayas, popularly known as ‘The Land of Numerous Passes’.
Ladakh is a high altitude ‘Desert Plateau’, also known as “The Last Shangrila” is bounded by two of the world’s mightiest mountain ranges, The Greater Himalaya and The Karakoram.Ladakh with its  snow clad mountains and arid land is amoung the highest of the worlds inhibited plateaus.
Ladakh lies at an altitude ranging from about 2,750 meters at Kargil to 7,672 meters at  Saser Kangri in the Karakoram.Ladakh has been described as “Moon Land”,  “Magic Land” and “Mysterious Land” for  its unique landscape and  exquisite culture.One sees no horizon here but only mountain peaks soaring upto 5 to 6 Km.
In the prehistoric period Ladakh formed a great lake. Even at present the region has some of the largest and most beautiful lakes, Pangong and the Tsomoriri lakes. Covering an yarea of approximately 98,000 sq. km with a population of about more than 2 lakhs, it is a repository of myriad cultural and religious influences from Tibet, India and Central Asia. The population of Ladakh is evenly divided between Muslims and Buddhists. There are several hundred Christians also.Ladakh has witnessed Stone Age, as stone tools have been found in some… Read the rest

by .and+

Bike and Kayaking Red River Tour

Bike and Kayaking Red River Tour 

Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Thay pagoda and handicraft villages (bike 35km)
Day 2: Nam Hong – Lim Town (bike 40km)
Day 3: Lim Town-Ha Long (kayak 5-7km)
Day 4: Ha Long Bay (kayak 5-7km)
Day 5: Ha Long – Hanoi (kayak 5-7 km)

Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Thay pagoda and handicraft villages (bike 35km)
From Hanoi, a 30km-drive brings you to the 15th century Thay Pagoda, famous for its fantastic collection of carved wooden Buddha statues. After exploring the pagoda, bike through sweeping rice paddies, stopping at a traditional So noodle-making village. Peddle on through other villages, experiencing daily life deep in northern Vietnam’s countryside and learning about the local traditions. Enjoy a picnic lunch before taking a leisurely walk beneath an avenue of betel nut trees to Chuong village, where villagers still produce one of Vietnam’s most enduring symbols  the conical palm-leaf hat. After shuttling back to Hanoi spend the late afternoon sightseeing around Hoan Kiem Lake, whose waters are said to hide a sacredâ and indeed magical golden turtle. Spend your first night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Nam Hong – Lim Town (bike 40km)
After traveling by shuttle to Dong Anh, a suburban district of Hanoi, bike through the Nam Hong flower village and on through other villages that grow bonsai trees. Spin through a colorful patchwork of green paddy fields,… Read the rest

by kiki follettosa

Sapa-Vietnam ,a great place for trekking tours

Sapa- Vietnam
Introduction
Sapa is situated in the country’s northwest at an altitude of 1,600 meters. In the early 20th century the French took advantage of Sapa’s cool climate, developing it into a summer retreat from the heat and humidity of Hanoi. Today, Sapa town still retains its European feel, largely due to the French architecture and gardens and today is a popular destination due to its beautiful scenery and colorful ethnic people. Sapa town is reached via a winding 40km road from the town of Lao Cai. The drive provides a taste of what is to come as the road winds its way up through lush rice-terraced valleys and breath-taking scenery passing several different minority villages along the way.The valleys surrounding Sapa are home to several of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups, each with their own distinctive dress, customs and dialects. These tribes can all be seen at the weekend market in Sapa town to trade with one another. Sapa has also become a destination for travelers seeking adventure. It is a staging point for trekking in the nearby valleys and for climbing Mount Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak as well as motorcycle rides in to the wild hill country. Extended treks to visit villages of minority tribes are also available.
Places of interest
Mount Fansipan
Indochina’s highest peak, Mount Fansipan is only 9km from Sapa town and climbing to its summit is… Read the rest